Peter
Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, commenting on the Public and Commercial Services union announcement that
protests about pay are due to take place across the UK, said

“These
protests reinforce the unfairness of the public sector pay cap and the poor
treatment that civil servants and other public sector workers have faced at the
hands of this Tory Government. Civil servants and other public sector workers
have seen their real wages fall constantly over the seven years of Conservative
pay freezes and caps.

“It is
shocking that our public servants have been forced into protesting their
poor treatment and falling wages caused by the Tory Government’s pay freezes
and caps. 

“Meanwhile,
the Conservative’s cabinet of chaos continues to stand up for a
privileged elite – handing out tax cuts for the rich and failing
to properly tackle tax avoidance.

“The next
Labour Government will lift the public sector pay cap and give all workers the
pay rise they deserve so that the economy works for the many and not the few.” 

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Shadow Business Secretary,
responding to Aston Martin’s investment announcement, said:

“Aston Martin’s £500m trade deal  announced
today is welcome, as is the continued investment of other car manufacturers
such as Nissan and Toyota. However, the continued success of British automotive
sector, the jewel in our manufacturing crown, is being put at risk.

“The Government’s failing Brexit strategy twinned
with a weak industrial strategy and secretive bespoke deals within the sector
is the antitheses of the robust strategy the last Labour government put in
place for the sector.

“Labour’s properly resourced industrial strategy
and jobs-first approach to leaving the EU is what is needed to ensure the
continued prosperity of the automotive sector’.”

John
Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, responding to the release of terms
of reference for the independent inquiry into building regulations following
the Grenfell Tower fire, said:

“Ministers
have been off the pace at every stage in responding to the terrible Grenfell
Tower fire.

“While
better late than never, it’s now eleven weeks since Grenfell and over four
years on from two Coroners’ reports into previous high rise fires recommended
an overhaul of building regulations. Ministers promised a review in May 2013
but have failed to act since.  

“Rather
than waiting for the findings of this inquiry, Ministers should start acting on
these existing recommendations immediately and incorporate any proposals from
Dame Judith Hackitt.

“More
broadly, Ministers must now use this inquiry to ensure that our system of fire
checks and regulations has the clarity, accountability and proper standards
needed so that no-one feels unsafe in their home.”

Margaret Greenwood MP, Labour’s Shadow Employment Minister, commenting on the
Office of National Statistics Working and Workless Households figures, said:

“While any increases in employment are positive, under this
Government work is no longer a reliable route out of poverty with over half of
those living in poverty coming from a working household.

“There are four million children growing up in poverty in the UK; two thirds of
these children live in working households.

“A
Labour government for the many, not the few, will introduce a Real Living Wage
to end in-work poverty once and for all, while investing in childcare to allow
parents to get back to work once they are ready.”

Jeremy
Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“I’d like
to thank Kezia Dugdale for her work as Scottish Labour leader and the important
role she has played in rebuilding the party in Scotland.

“Kezia
became Scottish leader at one of the most difficult times in the history of the
Scottish Labour Party, and the party’s revival is now fully under way, with six
new MPs and many more to come.

“I want
to thank Kez for her tireless service to our party and movement, and look
forward to campaigning with her in future for a country that works for the many
not the few.”

Ends